Electrical heating unit



Sept. 25, 1934. A. R 1,974,908

ELECTRICAL HEATING UNIT Filed Feb. 14, 1935 Patented Sept. 25, 1934 UNITED STATES ears crFic ELECTRICAL HEATING UNIT Alphons P. Aug, St.

Louis, Mo, assignor to Application February 14, 1933, Serial No. 656,718

9 Claims.

This invention relates to an electrical heating unit and has relation more particularly to a unit of this kind which is particularly applicable to a fiatiron, wafile iron, and kindred electrical equip- 5 ment, and it is a particular object of the invention to provide a unit of this kind which includes the use of a resistance wire in the form of a ribbon.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an electrical heating unit which in its construc- 0 tion eliminates the use of all hooks, porcelain or otherwise and thereby enabling the production of a highly satisfactory element at a most exceptionally moderate price.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a unit of this kind which comprises in its construction mica sheets or other similar insulating material about each of which is wound in a circular fashion a resistance wire in the form of a ribbon.

The invention also has for an object to provide a unit of this kind comprising a frame having means for supporting the resistance elements and also for maintaining the unit in its entirety in desired position with respect to the appliance or equipment with which the unit is to be employed.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved electrical heating unit whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of my invention will here inafter be definitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:-

Figure 1 is a view partly in vertical section and partly in elevation illustrating an electrical heating unit constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention and in applied position with respect to a sadiron, the handle portion of the iron being shown in fragment;

Figure 2 is a view in bottom plan of the heating unit as illustrated in Figure l unapplied;

Figure 3 is a view in perspective of the supporting structure for the unit with the heating elements removed;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 44 of Figure 2.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawing, S denotes a stamped steel supporting structure for my improved unit and which structure comprises a plate 1 of desired dimensions continued at one end by an extension plate 2 of a width. materially less than the width of the plate 1 and with said extension plate arranged at the transverse central portion of the plate 1. The plates 1 and 2 are provided with the reinforcing and strengthening corrugations 3.

The outer or free end portion of the extension plate 2 is defined by a transversely disposed depending flange 4 substantially at right angles to the extension plate 2 and the central part of the flange 4 has depending therefrom a prong 5. The end of the plate 1 at opposite sides of the extension plate 2 is also provided with the transversely disposed flanges 6 each of which also has depending therefrom a prong 7. The end portion of the plate 1 remote from the extension plate 2 has struck upwardly therefrom on a desired incline a web plate 8, the outer marginal portion of which being defined by an outwardly directed flange 9 provided with the spaced openings 10 whereby the jack terminals 11 may be readily mounted thereon.

The resistance element E, as herein disclosed, comprises three sheets 12 of mica or other suitable insulating material, said sheets being rectangular in form with the longitudinal axes disposed in the same general direction. Two of these sheets 12 are arranged side by side in spaced relation as particularly illustrated in Figure 2 while the third sheet 12 has the corner portions thereof at one end overlying the opposite corner portions of the first mentioned sheets 12 with said overlying portions of the sheets suitably clinched together, as at 14.

The longitudinal marginal portions of the sheets 12 along the major lengths thereof are notched or recessed, as at 15, and wound in circular fashion around the sheets 12 in a resistance wire 16 of a flattened or ribbon form with one extremity of the ribbon wire in electrical connection with one of the jacket terminals 11 and the other extremity of the ribbon wire in electrical connection with the second jack terminal. As is clearly illustrated in Figure 2, this ribbon wire 16 is wrapped first around one of the parallel sheets 12 and then around the single end sheet 12 to the outer end thereof where the ribbon wire 16 passes through from one side of such single sheet 12 to the other to a suitably positioned slit 17. The ribbon wire is then wound around this single sheet 12 between the previous wrappings of the wire and is then continued to the second parallel sheet 12 and wrapped therearound. On the single sheet 12 the convolutions at one end portion are wrapped in one direction and at the other end portion in the opposite direction. The ribbon wire 16 between said reversely wrapped portions is extended straight, as at a, along the longitudinal margins of said single sheet 12 but on opposite faces.

The plate 1 and the extension plate 2 are provided with suitably positioned openings 18 while the single sheet 12 is provided with an opening 19 through which are adapted to pass the-holding bolts or members 20 comprised in the structure of the sadiron or kindred electrical equipment whereby the electrical heating unitis eifectively maintained in desired working position.

When the unit is in applied or working position the prongs 5 and 7 contact with the'adjac'ent face or wall of the electrical equipment, such as the ironing member as illustrated in Figure 1, as do also the prongs 21 depending from the downwardly disposed flanges 22. These flanges 22 are transversely disposed with respect tothe plate 1 at opposite sides of the Web plate 8. The prongs 5, '7 and 21 are also directed through suitably positioned openings 23 provided inthe end portions of each of the sheets 12 and at'the transverse center thereof. These prongs 5, '7 and 21 initially are substantially semi-circular in cross section so that after the sheets 12 have been properly positioned upon said prongs 5, 7 and 21 a suitable implement may be employed for slightly flattening such prongs in order to hold the sheets 12 in desired placement with respect to the supportingstructure S. As is clearly illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawing, it is to be noted that the formation of the supporting structure S and the mounting thereon of the resistance element E are such as to have this element E substantially rise of contact with the plate 1 and the base or member upon which the support S is mounted and that alsothe element E is substantially entirely surrounded by an air space Atten tion is furthermore directed to the fact that the unit as herein disclosed is of a very simple construction and eliminates the use of bolts, screws 4 or rivets and that the complete unit can be assembled without dependence upon any part of the iron or other appliance with which it may be employed. It is further to be noted that the heating unit as herein disclosed is what maybe called a fully suspended type and one wherein the air space surrounding theresistance element E is entirely relied upon for insulation.

, In view of the foregoing it is believed to be clearlyfapparent that an electrical heating unit as herein disclosed entirely dispenses with the use of'hooksor the like and also permits the-same to be produced at 'a pronounced moderate cost in viewof the fact that "the amount of mica or kindred insulating material does not have to be as extensively used as in the general type of electrical heating units now in use and particularly as pertains to the protective sheets of mica or the like, which are usually employed in these other types of elements. 7

Another particular and decided advantage of my improved unitis the fact that it'enables the use of a fiat or ribbon resistance wire which-can beproduced at a cost materially less than-round resistance wire.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that an electrical heating unit constructed in accordance with my invention is parti'cularly well adapted for use by'reaso'n of the convenience andfacility with which it maybe assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification Without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claimi- 1. An electrical heating'unit comprising a supporting plate, prongs carried by said plate at spaced points thereon and in angular relation thereto, an insulating member having openings through which the prongs are directed to allow the insulating member to be operatively supported by the plate and spaced therefrom, the space between the plate and insulating member being open, resistance wire wound around the insulating member, said member constituting the only insulating material associated with the wire, and terminals carried by the plate to which the extremities of the resistance wire are connected.

2. An electrical heating unit comprising a sup: porting plate, prongs carried by said plate at spaced points thereon and in angular relation thereto, an insulating member having openings through which the prongs are directed to allow the insulating member to be operatively supported by the plate and spaced therefrom, the space between the plate and insulating member being open, resistance wire wound around the insulating member, said member constituting the only insulating material associated with the wire, and terminals carried by the plate to which the extremities of the resistance wire are connected, said plate having openings through which positioning members are adapted to pass.

3. An electrical heating unit comprising a plate having spaced prongs extending therefrom in angular relation and having a web flange disposed in a direction opposite to the prongs, terminals carried by the web flange, an insulating member operatively engaged and supported by the prongs in spaced relation to the plate, the space between the plate and insulating member being open,'and a resistance wire wrapped around the insulating member and connected to the terminals, said'member constituting the only insulating material associated with the wire.

4. An electrical heating unit comprising a supporting plate, sheets of insulating material, two of said sheets being arranged side 'by side, and a third sheet having an end portion connected to the adjacent end portions of the first two sheets, said third sheetb'eing disposed in adirection away from the first named sheets, means carried by the plate for coa'ction with the sheets whereby said sheets are supportedbythe plate and spaced therefrom, the space'betwe'en the plate and insulating member being'open, anda resistance wire wrapped around the several sheets of insulating material.

5. An electricalheating unit comprising a supporting plate, sheets ofinsulating material, two of said sheets being arranged sideby side, and a third sheet "having an end portion connected to the adjacent end portions of the firsttwo sheets, said third sheet being disposed in a direction away fromthe first named sheets, means carried bythe plate for coaction with the sheets whereby said sheets are supported by theplate and'spaced therefrom, the space between the plate and insulating member being open, and a resistance wire wrappedaround the several sheets of insulating material, s'aidshee'ts being "of duplicate form.

6. An electrical heating unit comprising a supporting plate, prongs carried by said plate at spaced points thereon and in angular relation thereto, an insulating member mounted on the prongs in spaced relation with respect to the plate and positioned inwardly of the outer ends of the prongs to provide air spaces surrounding the insulating member, resistance wire carried by the insulating member, and terminals carried by the plate to which the extremities of the resistance wire are connected.

7. An electrical heating unit comprising a supporting plate having angularly disposed flanges at points spaced thereon, prongs extending from the flanges and disposed in the same general direction as the flanges, an insulating member mounted upon the prongs adjacent the flanges, said flanges maintaining the insulating member spaced from the plate, the prongs providing means for maintaining the insulating member spaced from the surface with which said prongs may contact whereby the insulating member is substantially surrounded by air insulation, and a resistance element carried by the insulating member.

8. An electrical heating unit comprising a stamped plate, prongs at spaced points thereon and in angular relation thereto, said prongs being initially substantially semi-circular in cross section, an insulating member through which the prongs are directed, the portions of the prongs outwardly of the insulating member being flattened to hold the insulating member in place thereon and spaced from the stamped plate, and a resistance wire wrapped around the insulating member.

9. An electrical heating unit comprising a stamped plate, prongs at spaced points thereon and in angular relation thereto, said prongs being initially substantially semi-circular in cross section, an insulating member through which the prongs are directed, the portions of the prongs outwardly of the insulating member being flattened to hold the insulating member in place thereon and spaced from the stamped plate, a resistance wire wrapped around the insulating member, and a mounting for terminal jacks integrally formed with the stamped plate.

ALPHONS P. AUG. 

